Wednesday, 18 March 2015

Smallest Monkey in the World

Sulawesi is an island that has a variety of biological diversity , including diversity of endemic flora and fauna that are not found in other parts of Indonesia . Of 127 species of mammals are found in Sulawesi , 61 % of which are endemic ( Whitten et al . Shekelle and Leksono 2002 in 2004 ) .

One endemic species on the island of Sulawesi , namely Tarsier , a species of animal that night like a monkey with a very small size . Tarsier species endemic spread in Sulawesi islands of Sangihe Islands in the north , to Selayar Island . This genus comes from Tarsiidae family , the only family that survives of the order Tarsiiformes . Tarsier known as ghost animals , which live nocturnal or active at night , with a face like a red -eyed little monkey , big and round that used to see at night ( MoF 1978).

Tarsier belonging to a protected animal under the Wild Animals Protection Regulation 1931 and Government Regulation No.7 of 1999. Appendix II animals include dalamConvention on International Trade in Endangered Species ( CITES 2003) and included in the Red List vulnerable issued by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN 2011) .

The uniqueness of the National Park Bantimurung Bulusaraung ( TN. Babul ) located in Maros regency and Pangkep South Sulawesi region is largely a limestone hill forest ecosystems ( limestone forest ) that has the potential of natural resources and biological diversity of flora and fauna and endemic high . In this area is also the location of the discovery of one of the tarsier . Based on morphology and distribution of known compatibility tarsier species are in this area adalahTarsius fuscus Fischer 1804 ( Groves and Shekelle , 2010 ) .

Tarsier is a monotypic genus of the family Tarsiidae , endemic primate in Sumatra , Kalimantan , Sulawesi and the Philippines (MoF 1978) . This genus has several species of which yaituTarsius bancanus found in Sumatra and Kalimantan , syrichta tarsier are found in the Philippines ( Wirdateti and Dahrudin 2006) . There are 11 species in Sulawesi tarsiers , namely T. tarsier , T. fuscus , T. sangirensis , T. pumilus , T. dentatus , T. pelengensis , T. Lariang , T. tumpara , T. wallacei and 2 species are known from different types but yet to be named ( Groves and Shekelle , 2010 ) . At first T. tarsier spread of islands Selayar to Southwest peninsula of Sulawesi Island , but after the revision of this type spread Selayar Islands . While tarsiers who are in Southwest Sulawesi peninsula now known as Tarsius fuscus . These changes are based on differences in morphology and number of chromosomes of each type .

Tarsier has thick and silky hair that covered her body . Hair color varies , depending on the type , the dark red , brown to grayish . Tarsiers from Sulawesi has a typical when compared to other types , namely the white hair behind the ears and hair cover gray . Body length of 85-160 mm , and length of tail 135-275 mm . Body weight of an adult male tarsier approximately 75-165 g . Leg length is much longer than the length of the hand even in total body length . Tarsiers have rear feet in length double the length of the body and the head to provide the power for most of the jump is the tarsier movement vertical jump ( Wharton 1974) .

Tarsier ( Tarsius fuscus ) in TN . Babul in Maros regency has its own designation by the local community ( local names vary ) . Tarsiers also called Balau Cangke in Pattunuang , Congali in Mallenreng , and Pa’cui in Balang Lohe . According Shagir KJ , et al . ( 2011) , adult male tarsier is captured in forested areas Pattunuang have characteristics such as the head and body length of 120 mm , 270 mm tail length , and almost the entire body covered with thick hair and smooth brown and gray .